Telecommunications and Space Debris: Adaptive Regulation Beyond Earth

Abstract

The existing policy frameworks surrounding the launch of man-made objects and expeditions into space are largely unequipped to deal with the long-term consequences of debris accumulation beyond the Earth's atmosphere. This has serious implications for all telecommunications satellites. As space-faring actors (who are increasingly from the private sector, in addition to government-affiliated) become more involved with these activities, fragmentation from a variety of sources (colloquially grouped as space debris) will only continue to proliferate before outright impeding the ability of humans to conduct operations in space altogether. This paper proposes, as a solution, the implementation of adaptive governance structures with regards to the issue of space debris. This solution takes place in the form of collaborative/flexible endeavors between the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), private sector spaceflight corporations, and governmental space agencies to mitigate space debris pileup. Through the usage of new technologies to spearhead space debris cleanup, non-partisan economic incentives, and clarification on acceptable environmental conditions for satellite launches, an adaptive governance model for handling space debris is key to making space safe for communication and research.